


A Mother's Blessing

by slytherco



Series: 25 Days of Drarry [9]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Acceptance, Angst and Feels, Anxiety, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Crying, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Fluff, Found Family, Happy Ending, Holiday Sweaters, M/M, Meet the Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-13
Updated: 2019-12-13
Packaged: 2021-02-18 16:36:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21780511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slytherco/pseuds/slytherco
Summary: Day 9 of 25 Days of Drarry.Prompt: “You didn’t have to get me anything.”---It's their first Christmas dinner at the Burrow and Draco is terrified Harry's family won't accept him.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy & Molly Weasley, Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Series: 25 Days of Drarry [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1559188
Comments: 17
Kudos: 482





	A Mother's Blessing

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr](https://slytherco.tumblr.com/post/189647250218/25-days-od-drarry-day-9)

Draco stands in front of the mirror and tries to adjust his tie. His hands feel clammy and stiff; he fumbles with the knot, struggling to make it look half-decent. After a few tries, he gives up and braces his shaking hands on the bathroom sink. He takes a few deep, calming breaths, his head hunched in defeat. 

The door creaks, there is a soft clack of dress shoes on the bathroom tile and then, a pair of strong arms wrap around his waist. It’s grounding; the hard, warm lines of the body behind his anchor him in reality as the tension eases from his shoulders. Tender lips brush the base of his neck, a featherlight breath that lingers until he melts into the sensation. Harry places a single, soft kiss there, inhaling slowly. Draco lets go of the sink and touches the calloused hand gently stroking his sternum. Their fingers interlace and he turns around to look into those emerald eyes that always stare right through him, _inside_ him. The other man steps closer and lifts his hand to brush his cheek and tucks a stray lock behind his ear.

It’s their second Christmas together and they are invited to dinner at the Burrow. The whole Weasley family is going to be there and Draco is paralyzed with fear. He and Harry have been a couple for almost two years, but last Christmas, he couldn’t bring himself to go there, despite the reluctant invitation they received. He couldn’t go through with it, on top of losing his parents that year, a few months apart from each other. And Harry, the wonderful man that he was, didn’t push him. He gave Draco all the space and support he needed and it made his heart bleed; it felt as if Harry could read his mind, knowing when exactly to catch him before he crumbled. There was just one small, disappointed smile that haunted Draco for weeks. 

He braces himself; he can’t bail this year, he can’t do this to Harry and to their relationship. It means a lot to him for Draco to meet his family. To actually meet them, to get to know them and become a part of the herd. Draco can feel the dread slowly creeping back-- he doesn’t have any family left, there’s only Harry. If they don’t accept him, Harry will surely walk away. And then, he will have nothing left to live for.

Harry, seeing his inner turmoil, leans his forehead against Draco’s and adjusts his tie. “Love, you’re shaking”, he whispers softly, rubbing his arm. “It will be fine, I promise.”

Draco huffs. “Assuming nobody hexes me on the spot, it will be like walking into a wolf den. And I can’t really blame them, can I?”, he says in a bitter voice.

Harry pulls him flush against his body. “I will be with you the whole time. I will hold your hand, and kiss your cheek, and I won’t leave your side”, he brushes their noses together. “The war is over. You’ve shown your worth, Draco. And they know it, they’ve seen it; and they know how much you mean to me.”

He swallows the urge to cry over his perfect boyfriend; it’s not the time. He lets out a shaky whisper. “I love you, you idiot.”

Harry chuckles. “I love you too. Let’s go”, he captures Draco’s mouth in a slow, tender kiss and they disapparate.

***

The dinner goes as well as they could have hoped for. Everybody seems quite cold, initially, but that’s a given. The tense silence slowly dissipates with time and Draco can see how hard the Weasleys and Granger are trying, all for Harry’s sake. And that, Draco gets on a deeper level; damn it all, he would happily move in with the Weasleys himself if it made Harry happy. He sits stiffly, aware of every move he makes; Harry’s on his left, Hermione on his right. It’s reassuring, as his relationship with Granger has improved since they’ve started working together in the Department of Mysteries. Old wounds have healed and a tentative friendship started to develop.

Harry stays true to his words; his arm stays firmly around Draco’s waist when they enter. At dinner, he puts his hand on his thigh, brushing it slowly, pouring all his love and reassurance into the touch. It’s like a lifeline, keeping Draco safe and grounded. 

When they finish, everybody gets up and they move to the living room, chatting and exchanging work stories. Draco immediately finds Harry’s hand and holds on. The other man smiles at him sweetly and he can’t tear his eyes away. Molly Weasley’s voice shakes him out of his reverie.

“Draco, dear, would you like to help me with the dishes?”, she turns to him and Draco freezes. He feels Harry squeeze his hand in encouragement; he kisses Draco’s cheek and lets go, nodding to him. _It’s all right. Go._

Draco, thankfully, doesn’t forget his manners. “Of course, Mrs. Weasley, I’d be glad to”, he stammers and follows her to the kitchen.

They pick up the plates and glasses in silence and Draco is fidgeting nervously, almost dropping some spoons. When Molly speaks again, he nearly jumps.

“There is no need to call me ‘Mrs. Weasley’, you know”, she looks at him expectantly. 

“I- I’m sorry”, he falters.

“I’ve got something for you”, she turns to the nearest cupboard and pulls out a wrinkled package wrapped in gold-striped red paper. “Here”, she holds it out to him with a small smile.

Draco stands there, rooted to the spot. “You didn’t have to get me anything. Harry said no gifts and-”

“It’s nothing big, just open it, dear”, her tone is kind and it soothes Draco’s nerves a bit. With shaking hands, he takes the package from her hands. It’s soft and light; he tears away the paper and there is something dark green inside. He unfolds the fabric to find that it’s a sweater. Similar to the ones that all the Weasleys wear. It has a big letter D on the front and it looks just like Harry’s.

Draco glances at her and he almost chokes, he can feel his eyes starting to water. When he finally finds his voice, it comes out wobbly. “Thank you. This… This means so much, I-”

Molly’s expression turns serious without losing its warmth. “I can see how hard you’re trying, Draco. And how far you’ve gone”, she puts a gentle hand on his face, a motherly gesture that finally makes hot tears fall freely down his cheeks. “Harry loves you very much. And, from the way you look at him, I gather you love him too.”

His throat is tight but he manages to choke the words out. “More than anything.” And it’s too much, too raw; Draco feels his heart lurch because he can’t really put it into words. How can he tell her that he would die for Harry without a second thought? 

“Oh, come here, honey, it’s all going to be fine”, she pulls him into a hug and he just melts into it, all his defenses going down. Her acceptance means more than he wants to admit, it means forgiveness and absolution. It’s a new beginning. Molly rubs soothing circles into his back as he quietly sobs into her shoulder. “Everybody will come around, you’ll see.”

“Everything all right in here?”, Harry’s voice breaks them apart. He looks at Draco’s puffy face and then, down at the sweater he’s clutching in his hands and his expression turns into one of profound relief and gratitude. He crosses the distance between them and envelops his boyfriend in a crushing hug. He peppers the top of his head with small kisses as Draco buries his face in Harry’s neck, breathing in the sweet smell.

He doesn’t see Harry’s teary face as he mouths a _thank you_ to Molly over his shoulder.

  
  



End file.
